Infatuation
In Mansfield Park, all of the young people are infatuated with one person or another. The concern, of course, with infatuation, is that it is based on appearances and the “hopes” that the object of one’s infatuation really does contain all the attributes and qualities one superimposes on them and that the object feels the same way towards the “hoper.” Because infatuation is so often based on appearances and wisps of behavior, it is very easy for a person to “misread” the intentions of another. That is why the play is the perfect trope for Austen to express and illustrate the absurdity of the “realities” of the concept. Everyone is “playing.” Everyone is trying to interpret meaning. Everyone is setting up an ideal mental picture of the other. Because it is acted out through a play, it maintains the qualities of theatre. It is all staged; it is all rehearsed. The lovers’ words are all scripted. There is no room for improvising, and possibly saying the wrong thing. And each actor has assigned lines. No one is left without an opportunity to express his/herself or without a moment in the spotlight. There is an egalitarianism and control in a play that “real” life, or as real as it gets in a novel, does not offer.
In a similar way, Austen uses the framing of the tableau to the same effect. That is why Edmund’s comments about Mary Crawford creating a perfect tableau when she is playing her harp is significant. Like the play, the tableau is staged. It is seen at a distance, not up close. And, unlike the play, it is static. People are “held” in a stasis for the viewer to take in the scene. Also, and this is important for Edmund, Mary is not talking in a tableau. She does not have an opportunity to say anything that would offend Edmund or disturb the image he has of her in his head. That is what is so intriguing about the novel is that it words, it is what a person says, that changes how he/she is “perceived” and in that way impacts the individual’s value. In terms of how she appears, Mary Crawford is ideal. She creates beautiful, still images from playing the harp to sitting on a horse. But Mary Crawford is lively. She has a mind and a voice and she rehearses, unlike Fanny, neither. This is where she is in the most contrast to Fanny. Fanny tries to do and say nothing without first scrutinizing it and considering the impact of her words and actions. While in contrast to Mary Crawford, this may seem like a virtue, it often causes Fanny much pain. She is not able to act out or vocalize her feelings for Edmund. She is unable to even articulate that she has a headache. She, unlike Mary at her own admission, is not selfish, but this lack causes her much pain and anxiety. Because of these contrasts, Fanny is much better equipped for creating the tableau, for Edmund, than Mary could ever be. Mary would always break the scene by expressing herself. Fanny won’t speak unless Edmund asks her too. This stillness is necessary to fulfill the scene of be a parson’s wife. She fits the scene of the country house next to blacksmith’s shop. Mary Crawford does not. She would find the confines of Edmund’s tableau too quiet, too still, to restrictive. She would always say what’s on her mind, and no one wants to hear THAT.
In Mansfield Park, all of the young people are infatuated with one person or another. The concern, of course, with infatuation, is that it is based on appearances and the “hopes” that the object of one’s infatuation really does contain all the attributes and qualities one superimposes on them and that the object feels the same way towards the “hoper.” Because infatuation is so often based on appearances and wisps of behavior, it is very easy for a person to “misread” the intentions of another. That is why the play is the perfect trope for Austen to express and illustrate the absurdity of the “realities” of the concept. Everyone is “playing.” Everyone is trying to interpret meaning. Everyone is setting up an ideal mental picture of the other. Because it is acted out through a play, it maintains the qualities of theatre. It is all staged; it is all rehearsed. The lovers’ words are all scripted. There is no room for improvising, and possibly saying the wrong thing. And each actor has assigned lines. No one is left without an opportunity to express his/herself or without a moment in the spotlight. There is an egalitarianism and control in a play that “real” life, or as real as it gets in a novel, does not offer.
In a similar way, Austen uses the framing of the tableau to the same effect. That is why Edmund’s comments about Mary Crawford creating a perfect tableau when she is playing her harp is significant. Like the play, the tableau is staged. It is seen at a distance, not up close. And, unlike the play, it is static. People are “held” in a stasis for the viewer to take in the scene. Also, and this is important for Edmund, Mary is not talking in a tableau. She does not have an opportunity to say anything that would offend Edmund or disturb the image he has of her in his head. That is what is so intriguing about the novel is that it words, it is what a person says, that changes how he/she is “perceived” and in that way impacts the individual’s value. In terms of how she appears, Mary Crawford is ideal. She creates beautiful, still images from playing the harp to sitting on a horse. But Mary Crawford is lively. She has a mind and a voice and she rehearses, unlike Fanny, neither.
This is where she is in the most contrast to Fanny. Fanny tries to do and say nothing without first scrutinizing it and considering the impact of her words and actions. While in contrast to Mary Crawford, this may seem like a virtue, it often causes Fanny much pain. She is not able to act out or vocalize her feelings for Edmund. She is unable to even articulate that she has a headache. She, unlike Mary at her own admission, is not selfish, but this lack causes her much pain and anxiety.
Because of these contrasts, Fanny is much better equipped for creating the tableau, for Edmund, than Mary could ever be. Mary would always break the scene by expressing herself. Fanny won’t speak unless Edmund asks her too. This stillness is necessary to fulfill the scene of be a parson’s wife. She fits the scene of the country house next to blacksmith’s shop. Mary Crawford does not. She would find the confines of Edmund’s tableau too quiet, too still, to restrictive. She would always say what’s on her mind, and no one wants to hear THAT.